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Researcher, University of Chicago
Akito Kamei is a Postdoctoral Scholar and Lead Researcher at the University of Chicago. He oversees a portfolio of research projects primarily focused on water and sanitation at the Development Innovation Lab (DIL) at the University of Chicago. Akito’s research focuses on applied microeconomics specializing in human capital investment and global health in developing countries.
Before joining the DIL, Akito worked at the UNICEF Office of Research‚ Äì Innocenti conducting education research. He also worked at the Inter-American Development Bank to evaluate a large-scale government early childhood development program. With the World Bank, he conducted research on urban poverty and labour market outcomes in Ethiopia. He completed a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Applied Economics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Medical Director, Suel Abujamra Institute – SP, Brazil
Medical Resident in Ophthalmology at the Suel Abujamra Institute (São Paulo, Brazil); Postgraduate in Cardiology from Albert Einstein Hospital (São Paulo, Brazil); Postgraduate in Health Management from Albert Einstein Hospital (São Paulo, Brazil); Professor of Internal Medicine at Aristo Residência Médica (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).
Chief Executive Officer, Peek Vision Foundation
Andrew is an Ophthalmologist, Professor in Global Eye Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Founder & CEO of Peek Vision, and Co-Founder of the Vision Catalyst Fund. He has worked and undertaken research in over twenty countries including two years living in Kenya, where he was leading a major eye disease study and the development and testing of the earliest versions of Peek’s smartphone-based eye health systems.
Andrew has been listed as one of the world’s 30 most influential people in public health, has published over 90 peer-reviewed articles, is a TED Speaker and TED Fellow, Rolex Laureate, World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, Ashoka Fellow, and UBS Global Visionary. In 2023 Andrew was awarded an OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours.
Peru Project Manager, Orbis International
Angel has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Administration, with work experience in different international cooperation organizations. These include Orbis International, where he works as the Peru Project Manager working on the design and implementation of a portfolio of eye health projects in various regions of the country.
He has also served the International Potato Centre by developing financial proposals for new funding opportunities and overseeing project portfolio management. Likewise, he was part of the International Federation of Red Cross Societies team during the response program after the earthquake in Peru in 2007, among other public and private Peruvian organizations.
Enfrentando el desafío de la ceguera prevenible: investigacion e intervención, Instituto Mexicano de Oftalmologia, IAP
Médico Oftalmólogo egresado del CMN XX de Noviembre, Cornea y Cirugia Refractiva en Hospital de la Luz, Maestria en Investigación Médica en Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, actualmente Dirección Medica del Instituto Mexicano de Oftamología.
President Elect World Council of Optometry, World Council of Optometry
Cindy Tromans is a Consultant Optometrist at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital and Honorary Clinical Lecturer in the University Department of Ophthalmology, University of Manchester. She currently works within the Emergency Eye Department and specialty contact lens clinics. Cindy has held a number of national roles which include President and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the College of Optometrists UK.
She is currently President Elect of the World Council of Optometry and is the Immediate President of the European Council of Optometry and Optics. She was awarded Life Fellowship of the College of Optometrists and an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from Aston University in 2019 in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the profession of optometry.
Director of Strategy, Communication, and Fundraising, Ver Bien para Aprender Mejor
Cony has worked at Ver Bien para Aprender Mejor for 12 years. Currently, she is the Director of Strategy, Communication, and Fundraising. During her tenure, she has witnessed the change that a pair of glasses can make in the lives of school children. Convinced of the importance of visual health on people’s lives, she works every day to increase awareness of its impact.
General Director, Instituto de Oftalmologia Fundacion Conde de Valenciana
Graduate of the Harvard Business School and John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, interested in the innovative transformation of private health services to afford vision care for those most vulnerable.
Keen on clear objectives, teambuilding and affordable health management, he is set on expanding eye services beyond the FUNDACIÓN CONDE DE VALENCIANA’s seven sites, today.
Retina Fellow, Instituto Suel Abujamra
Felipe Gaspar is currently an Ophthalmologist pursuing a Retina Fellowship at Instituto Suel Abujamra, in São Paulo, Brazil. Felipe is an advocate for the prevention of blindness as well as for a shift in public policy, promoting inclusive eye care and patient-centred models.
Program Officer, Orbis International
Ha obtained her Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from the University of Southern California, School of Pharmacy, Los Angeles. She is a self-motivated and hard-working pharmacist with a passion for healthcare accessibility. She is currently working at Orbis Vietnam as Program Officer in charge of CyberSight, a global community of learning, sharing and practice for eye health professionals, especially in low-resource settings.
Researcher, Good vision
Psychologist graduated from the State University of Maringá with an emphasis on gender roles and subjectivity. Julia has experience in social projects involving vulnerable communities, focusing on racial minorities and gender. She was part of the Maringá Municipal Council for the Rights of Migrant Refugees and Stateless Persons (CORMA), defending, protecting and guaranteeing rights. Certified in Sustainability – ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) by Treasury Excellence as Standard, in the United Kingdom.
Julia currently works at the Center for Innovation in Population Studies (CIEP) as a researcher, part of the NGO Renovatio and GoodVision International. Within CIEP, she has coordinated several studies on visual health, its impact on society and the SDGs.
Coordinadora Programa Optometría Universidad CES, Universidad CES
Optómetra. Phd Salud Pública. Magister en Salud Pública. Máster en Políticas Públicas y Prácticas del Desarrollo. Investigadora en baja visión. Coordinadora Programa Optometría Universidad CES. Colombia
Senior Research Advisor, The Fred Hollows Foundation
Mediya is a sociologist and a cultural anthropologist currently engaged as the Senior Research Advisor within the Programs Division at the Fred Hollows Foundation. Mediya’s interdisciplinary and intersectoral work spans across academia, public health, and international development and aid. She adopts an intersectional approach to understanding the human experience with a focus on equity and justice.
As the Senior Research Advisor, Mediya offers technical advisory services to the Foundation’s 25 country teams and implementing partners in research design (methodology and ethical principles), implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and knowledge translation and dissemination. Her efforts are geared towards quality evidence-based effective and impactful eye health programming that prioritises beneficiaries’ well-being and quality of life by centring and amplifying people’s voices.
PhD Candidate, University of Auckland – School of Optometry and Vision Science
Nimisha is a public health professional and a PhD candidate within the School of Optometry and Vision Science at the University of Auckland. Her doctoral research focuses on measuring access to and the quality of diabetic retinopathy services in the context of universal health coverage. Her research interests include population eye health, equity, and health systems strengthening.
Post Doctoral Research Fellow, University of Auckland
Dr Pushkar Silwal is a postdoctoral researcher at the School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Auckland, New Zealand. Trained in health systems and policy, Pushkar is working to strengthen health systems approaches to global eye health in New Zealand and beyond. He has held professional positions on health system strengthening programs and policies in developing and high-income country contexts.
Pushkar’s areas of interest include mixed-methods research, health equity, health system performance measurement and management, policy analysis, diabetic retinopathy, monitoring and evaluation.
Senior Director, Research, Seva Foundation
Suzanne Gilbert is a co-founder of the Seva Foundation and has been active at the nexus of public health and global eye care for five decades. A social epidemiologist by training, she has been involved in the development of major national eye care programs and the strengthening of many partner eye care institutions in every region of the world. Her approach to comprehensive, equitable, sustainable eye care was greatly influenced by meeting Aravind’s Dr G Venkataswamy in 1978 and his decades of guidance.
Suzanne has played a leadership role within Seva, IAPB, WHO committees, and related eye societies. Focus throughout on understanding and strengthening the role of women and developing local capacity for service, training, and research. She has been instrumental in developing Seva’s 120-plus partner network in 20 countries, including the US. Suzanne has served with IAPB in multiple capacities since 1982.
Senior Consultant Vitreo-Retina Specialist, Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology
Associate Professor Dr. Raba Thapa MD, PhD, post doctorate is Senior Consultant Vitreo-Retinal Surgeon, Head of Vitreo-Retina Department and Chief of Research Department at Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology, Nepal. She has received many national and international awards: Nabil Science and Technology Award 2019, by the Government of Nepal, ARVO Collaborative Research Fellowship Award, in 2022, Best Oral Paper Award in 2022, in the National Summit of Nepal Health Research Council, Government of Nepal and Early Carrier Research Award 2020 by Thrasher Research Fund, USA.
She worked as a Co-Coordinator for Development of National Diabetic Retinopathy Management Guideline and National Advocacy Strategy for Implementation of Diabetic Retinopathy in the Public Health System, endorsed on 2017 by the Ministry of Health and Population, Government of Nepal. Currently, she has been working as a sub-committee member of Diabetic Retinopathy Working Group of IAPB. Her special interests include diabetic retinopathy and other public health eye problems.
